Day Wave Interview

Aleeza: You’re listening to WSOE 89.3 Elon Burlington, I’m Aleeza, and I’m here with Day Wave. How are you doing today?

Day Wave: I’m good, how are you?

Aleeza: Good, thanks, I love to hear it! So, let’s get started. Can you tell me a little bit about your latest album “The Days We Had?”

Day Wave: Yeah, the album came out a little over a month ago and we’re on tour right now supporting it. It’s been cool to finally get my first album out in the world.

Aleeza: Definitely, and what was your inspiration for the album, the process of making it?

Day Wave: I think there was a lot of different inspirations over time that fed to it. I recorded most of it around a year ago and kind of put it aside, and then went on tour, and then came back to it, and then finished it with this guy Mark Rankin. He mixed it, and yeah, a lot of it was written around the time of my 2 EPs that I made a couple years ago, so it kind of stayed in the same vain of the original inception of the project. It’s kind of me trying to figure out [and] navigate my way through my life, to be honest about it. The album still really calls from the same inspiration of the two EPs.

Instagram @daywavemusic

Aleeza: And what was the inspiration for the two EPs as well?

Day Wave: I mean, just for me, it was like getting through your mid twenties, trying to figure out what you’re trying to do. For me, writing about that made it easier for me to just make more honest music. In the past I made music, but I wasn’t being very personal with it and I just wanted to sort of try my hand at that.

Aleeza: Yeah, totally! And how would you describe your sound?

Day Wave: The sound is definitely guitar music, so it’s kind of like an indie rock vibe, but some people say there’s a bit of alternative rock in there, dream pop. I don’t know, I don’t really come up with these genres, but some people say that. For me, I like to make something that’s driving and melodically pleasing, and sort of ethereal at the same time.

Aleeza: Right, definitely. And would you say your sound changed at all between your debut EP “Headcase” and now, “The Days We Had?”

Day Wave: I’d say that the things that have changed about it is probably the way it was recorded. Certain production elements are just a little bit bigger, like the drums are no longer programmed to the point where, well the thing is, I recorded my 2 EPs by myself, with no one’s help or anything. So, I didn’t really have the capability to record a drum set in the way that I did on the album, whereas on the album I played all the drums and it’s a little more 3 dimensional now.

Aleeza: I see, and now moving on, how did you get involved with music?

Day Wave: I started playing music when I was about 9. I started playing the drums, but before that I was just always obsessed, I was just always listening to albums, buying albums every weekend, you know convince my parents to take me to Tower Records or whatever.

Aleeza: Yeah definitely, and do you have any influences or favorite records in particular that put you into music?

Day Wave: I loved the Beach Boys growing up, names like Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, a lot of classic rock. Also, growing up with all the bands on the radio, just like music in general, it wasn’t any one particular thing though.

Instagram @daywavemusic

Aleeza: Totally…and I believe you’re from Oakland, correct?

Day Wave: Yeah, I’m from the Bay Area.

Aleeza: How has the Bay Area, where you’re from, affected your music, if at all?

Day Wave: You know, it’s hard to say, but since growing up in the Bay Area, I’ve moved around a bit. I lived in Boston for college and I lived in New York for a little bit, I was in LA for a little bit. I found in New York and LA that I was having a hard time getting a starting off point, you know? I was very distracted and there was a lot going on. Moving back to Oakland, I was able to really focus and not be distracted by all the noise around me, so I feel like in that way it helped to be in the Bay Area.

Aleeza: Right, completely. Next, what can we look forward to in the future from you?

Day Wave: Definitely there will be more music, more touring, you know, I think it’s just kind of the beginning.

Aleeza: Awesome! And now for a bit of a fun question, if you could collaborate with anyone on a song or album, who would it be?

Day Wave: I think right now I would love to collaborate with Brian Eno. He’s just one of my favorite artists and producers, and I don’t know, it would just be kind of like a dream come true, you know?

Aleeza: Yeah, definitely! And last question, is there just anything else you’d like WSOE to know?

Day Wave: I don’t know, well, it’s hard to say…no.

Aleeza: Alright, you’re all set. Thanks so much for coming on the air with me today, and everyone be sure to check out Day Wave on Spotify!